Along Came A Spider: A Naraku Love Story
by HiddenXEmotion
Summary: Not many women can say their best friend is a spider, demon or not, but Miyuki is one of the few. Trying to find a place in the world, she and the arachnid search everywhere and find a small village where they stay peacefully for a few years...until the Sacred Jewel enters the web. Things change, people change, and with choices made, who can say they are right or wrong?
1. Opening

Many years ago, on the nights of the Full moon, a great evil was said to have ruptured chaos across the lands. Humans and Demons alike were scared to step foot outside their homes at night until finally they could no longer take it. A demon by the name of Kazuhiko, and his wife Tsukiko, finally stood forward and trapped the evil inside of the moon in the sky.

But every full moon, the seal would grow weak, resulting in the chance of the evil to break free and wreak havoc even more. Kazuhiko and the others created an idea to keep the evil contained but there was to be a sacrifice. Only the Song of Purity could keep the evil imprisoned in the moon and so instruments were crafted from the purest of elements and Kazuhiko took his family with him into the sky, their new home to be the cell of the evil they were tasked to keep imprisoned.

The tales of them, and the reason, have long been lost except by few that still walked across the earth. Until, after nearly 200 years, the family returned to the soil of the world beneath their home. The family thought they would be seen as normal but the family was considered evil and outcasts on both the sides of the humans and the demons.

The actions they received infuriated the father and the daughter as the son didn't seem to care of what were thought of them. The mother though…the mother found herself ensnared in a romance between herself and a human king that resulted in a set of twin daughters. It also caused the destruction of its castle, its inhabitants, and the mother and both fathers, leaving the four children alone in the world.


	2. Chapter 1

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON****'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

**If you get confused then I suggest that you go and read Count on Me. It's about Sesshomaru and the elder sister, Takara. It will give you the story from the beginning :)**

_**Chapter One**_

_**Friends Forever**_

"**Will you go ahead and kill that thing, Miyuki?** It's disgusting!"

"He is not! Stop being mean, Emiko!"

"Get rid of it!"

"No!"

Ikkaku had been trying to sleep but his sisters weren't going to let him have it. "Emiko, leave your sister alone. It's not a bug, it's a demon. You can't just kill it."

"He's not an it, Ikkaku."

Ikkaku gave a small smile. "Yes, my apologies, Naraku."

"Gah! Both of you are unbelievable!" Miyuki growled and turned to leave the cave.

"Be careful out there," Her brother called after her.

Miyuki ignored him, stomping into the trees. The older of the two twins, she was 5'7' in height and nearly thirty years old, though she still looked like she was in her early twenties. Her black hair to her waist and her eyes a smoky amber, her milky white skin stood out against the black kimono she wore. She hated that her skin would shine in the moonlight but that was something that she was just going to have to deal with as her life went on.

"Calm down, Miyuki," A voice reached her. "It's all right. I don't mind it."

"Well, you should!" Miyuki took a breath as she slowed to a stop. "I'm sorry, Naraku. I don't mean to snap at you."

"I know that you don't, Miyu."

"They just don't understand!" Miyuki growled, taking a seat on a fallen tree. "Emiko doesn't want to have anything to do with you and Ikkaku thinks it's a joke. The only one that understands is Takara!"

"Your older sister is your favorite?" Naraku asked her.

"Of course she is!" Miyuki nodded. "She understands everything. She understands me!" She gave a sigh. "If I could, I would join her and that army."

"Why don't you?" He asked her.

She gave another sigh. "I'd just be in the way. Takara wasted years of her life, training me and my sister, taking care of us. If I were to join her, I would just get in her way. This is her chance to have a life of her own again. Something that doesn't deal with family and loyalty or whatever it is that her father beat into her. Sure, I'll visit her, but as long as I can see her during the ceremonies, as long as I know she's happy and safe, that's good enough for me."

Naraku smiled and crawled from her left shoulder to her right. "You're a kind woman, Miyuki, but being too kind in this world can be bad."

"I know that," She replied. "At least, now I do. I will not make that horrid mistake again!" She fell silent for a moment. "I suppose it wasn't such a horrid mistake. I gave me you, after all."

Four months ago, Miyuki and her sister, Emiko, had gone on a journey. It was a chance to prove to their older brother Ikkaku that they could take care of themselves. Miyuki had made a mistake in trying to help what appeared to be a wounded Bird of Paradise. They were attacked and though they killed several of the demons, there were too many and they were captured and taken to their cave to be eaten. There were several others, mostly wolf demons, but younger than the two of them. It was there that she met Naraku…those days she would never forget…

"_**Everything will be okay."**_

_Miyuki's head lifted from the floor she was currently curled up on. Tear-stains were on her cheeks as she tried to ignore all the grim and dirt on her skin. There was no doubt in her mind that she was going to take a bath the moment she got out of here before she did anything else. Three days she had been in here, alone and worrying. She wanted to break out but the Birds had force-fed her something that took her strength away; she had tried to fake eating the food but the demons knew the moment she did and beat the hell out of her for it. She settled to just do as they asked. She had a feeling that she was being fattened up._

"_Miyuki, don't fall into silence."_

_She blinked and then sat up. "I know that."_

_The voice was coming from the wall from the only voice she had been able to hear these last three days; from her only friend in this prison. If she hadn't of met him, then she didn't know what would have happened._

"_God, I'm so pitiful." She closed her eyes and placed her head on her knees._

"_What makes you say that?" The voice was deep and firm, but held a hint of a caring tone in it._

"_My sister would be ashamed of me if she were to catch me in this situation. After all the training and things that she had put me through, I should be better than this! I am better than this! Takara would have gotten herself free from something like this by now. No, Takara wouldn't have even been caught!" She felt her tears rise but squeezed her eyes, trying to shove them off. "But I'm only a half-breed. I can't do anything to make her proud of me!"_

"_If that's the way you feel, then keep it," The voice told her. "But can you honestly say that is how your sister feels?"_

_Miyuki was silent for a moment before giving a sigh. "No, that's not how Takara feels, I'm sure. She's much more…caring than that. She's not ashamed of me, not even when she hated me." _

"_Then don't cry." She turned at the feel on movement on her shoulder and gave a smile. "Don't worry, everything will be okay."_

"_Yeah," She lifted her head. "Yeah, I bet she's on her way right now! When Ikkaku finds out that we were taken then he'll go grab Takara and they'll both be on their way." She moved her hand and grabbed the creature off of her shoulder. "Thank you. I don't know if I would have been able to stay…myself if you weren't here to knock me out of it."_

_The spider turned in her hand and looked up into her face. "No need to thank me. It's…different having someone here with me after so long."_

_Miyuki thought for a moment. "What do you think about coming with me when I get to leave?"_

"_What?"_

"_Yeah, come with me. You can see a different sight of the world. It's not too bad," She gave a smile down to the spider. "Don't worry, I would protect you from everything."_

"_I don't know…"_

"_Takara always told me that things happen for a reason," Miyuki leaned back on the ground; she had placed the spider on her stomach before folding her hands behind her head. "It was fate that I was captured...maybe. Besides, aren't you tired of living in this dark place? You're a demon so you'll live longer than regular spiders and I think living here, alone and in the dark, is the worst thing imaginable."_

_Silence fell through the cell for a moment._

"'_Round and 'round goes the spinning wheel of fate," The spider's chuckle told her as it rested on her chest. "Maybe I will," He replied._

"_Here, if you don't like it, then I'll bring you back here or even find you a nicer place to live. I might even hook you up with a nice lady spider, what do you think?" Her answer was a snort. It was weird to hear a spider laugh but it lightened her heart after all that she had been through these last few days. _

_The laughter came to an abrupt stop. "There's something coming."_

_Miyuki hopped to her feet and placed her back against the wall. The Spider placed itself on her shoulder, watching. The young woman was expecting more of those ugly bird demons to come but she received a surprise when the bars to her cell were broken down._

"_SESSHY!"_

_Sesshomaru had knocked her bars down and barely had time to get a good look on her before the young woman had ran forward, slamming her body into him. He stumbled backwards, almost hitting the wall, before straitening himself up. Sesshomaru was still for a moment, not sure what to do but a small smile spread across his lips for a moment as he lifted his hand and placed it on her head as her body trembled and tears fell from her eyes. A woman in her twenties but still like a child; like Takara had said she was from being the descendant of the Moon Guardians. They aged and matured differently than-_

"_A friend, Miyuki?"_

_At the voice, Sesshomaru instantly knew that it came from the spider and as he stared down at it he realized that it was a demon. He had noticed something with her in the cell as he came down the path but he had been expecting a Bird of Paradise, not a spider on her shoulder._

"_Yes, this is the man that my sister works with. This is her best friend."_

_Sesshomaru raised a brow. ~I don't know about best friend…~ After what had happened moments before she left, what did that make him and Takara? There was no doubting it now. He was completely attracted to the cool, harsh, strong woman and after that event it was clear that she was attracted to him as well, but…_

"_Your sister and brother are here as well," Sesshomaru told her, dropping his hand from her head. "They're outside with a few Wolf Demons causing havoc as they make their way inside."_

"_Wolf Demons?" She pulled back from him. He gave a small wince at all the dirt on her skin. "They must be here for the children that Emiko is locked up with."_

"_Why are you the only one separated?" The older demon asked._

_Miyuki turned her head away so the spider decided to answer. "Because she didn't like to be contained. She decided not to take being captured lightly and would convince the others in the cell to attack the Birds of Paradise together when they tried to enter. They took her one night while they were sleeping." _

_Sesshomaru gave a smile again. This woman took after her older sister, half-breed or not. "Let's go get your sister."_

_Miyuki clutched to the back of Sesshomaru's sleeve, fighting her tears back from falling as she followed him down the cave. She had been expecting just Takara and Ikkaku but for Sesshomaru to come too, it just lifted her heart so much. _

_That's when the commotion from further down the hall caught them. Sesshomaru came to a stop, lifting his hand to pause the woman behind him too. She heard a cry._

"_That was Emiko!"_

_Miyuki went to run forward but Sesshomaru was way ahead of her and around the corner before she could even move. She hurried after him and came up the scene of him slicing a Bird of Paradise in half and saving Emiko from what was about to happen to her. _

"_No!" Takara's voice was drowned out by a cry. A flash of white had zipped across the cave, slicing through the demon before its claws could touch Emiko's body._

"_Takara!" The older demon turning immediately to the other path to see Miyuki running towards her. Lord, she looked worse than the others did._

"_Miyuki!" Takara wrapped her arms around her younger sister as Emiko ran to Ikkaku. "Thank God!"_

"_I knew that you would come." Miyuki buried her face into her sister's shirt. "I knew it._

_Lifting her head, Takara looked at Sesshomaru as he moved from the cell, letting the Wolf Demons grab their children. What was he doing here? His father was in the middle of one of the biggest, and final, fights of this journey he was one and here he was, helping them. Why was that? Her mind instantly went back to the very personal event that had transpired between the two of them the day before but shook her head, trying to toss that away from the moment._

"_I guess you're not so bad after all, little man." Ikkaku then gave a smirk at the look Sesshomaru shot him. His hand tightened around Emiko's shoulders. "Take my compliment; I don't give them often."_

"_Heh."_

_Takara watched for a moment with a large smile before the clearing of a throat behind her made her turn. Miyuki pulled back a bit and let her go. One of the wolf elders was standing there as the others gathered the children and left._

"_I thank you, Princess, for all your help."_

"_Please, there's no need-" _

"_Such modesty," the elder shook his head. "If you ever need anything, don't forget where to find us," The elder told her, giving a bow. "And our offer is still in the open."_

"_Offer?" Ikkaku asked as the wolves left the five of them on the top of the mountain. "What's he's talking about?"_

"_The Wolf Tribe offered to let me live with them."_

"_So they practically worship us, huh?" Ikkaku began to rub his chin with an interested look on his face as he watched after them._

"_Don't even think about it," Takara hissed at him._

_He frowned. "You're no fun."_

"_Miyuki, don't move!" Emiko's voice grabbed them and they all turned to find her stepping towards her sister. "There's a huge spider on your back."_

_Miyuki gave a grin. "Yeah, I know. He's my friend. Guys, this is-"_

"_I'm gonna kill it!" Emiko hadn't heard her sister, apparently, as the spider crawled over her shoulder. Takara raised a brow at the sight of it. It was huge and black with a red pattern on its back._

"_No, don't!" Miyuki clasped her hands around her eight-legged companion. "Leave him alone!"_

"_Miyuki, that's a spider!" Emiko cried. "Get rid of it!"_

"_No! I won't!" the young woman ducked behind Sesshomaru, hiding behind the older man. "I won't and you can't make me!"_

_Takara gave a small smile. Miyuki had been locked in a dark cell for three days; of course she would attach herself to the closest thing…right?_

"_Let's go home, Miyuki."_

_The young woman peered around Sesshomaru's pants. "Can he come too?"_

"_Of course he can," Miyuki ran to her older sister and grabbed her hand. "What's his name?"_

_Miyuki stared at the spider that had crawled to her shoulder again for a moment, not sure of what the answer was. She had asked it its name before but he hadn't had one. Maybe she should just give him one…"Naraku!" She could just imagine the spider smiling at her. "His name is Naraku."_

**And Naraku had been with her since. **The spider was her best friend. He went everywhere with her. Since the events with the Birds of Paradise Emiko had grown closer to Ikkaku, wouldn't go anywhere without him, but she found herself more and more eager to travel out further from their cave. She had been training on her own against creatures that would attack her in the forest. She only had her hands and feet so far and had been thinking about talking to her sister about getting a blade like hers. Sure, she could transform like her sister could, but she didn't think that a raccoon or a bird could do much in battles. Since she was only a half-breed, she couldn't transform in the tiger or the bear or the gorilla or the other large animals like Takara and Ikkaku could. That was something that she hated the most. She was envious of her older siblings. She would give anything to be a full demon like them…

"I know that look on your face." Naraku's voice pulled Miyuki out of her thoughts.

"What look?" She replied, crossing her arms.

"The pity me look," The spider told her. "You're fine the way you are, Miyuki."

"Are you sure about that?"

The spider crawled down to her arms to where it could stare up into her face. "I am. Ask your sister; she won't lie to you and neither will I."

"I know that," Miyuki leaned her head back. "Just ignore my worried thoughts."

"How can I? Friends forever, right?" He replied in a playful voice.

Miyuki chuckled. She had told him that the night after they were freed from the Birds of Paradise. "Yeah. Friends forever." Giving another sigh, happier than the last, she jumped up to her feet, the spider scurrying back to her shoulders. "Come on; let's go see big sister."

"What about your brother and other sister?"

"Eh, let them worry. Besides, I think Ikkaku knows where I'm going; he always does.

"Will Takara mind us just showing up?"

"Takara never minds," Miyuki smiled. "She's big sister, after all."

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think:)**


	3. Chapter 2

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

_**Chapter Two**_

_**Takara**_

**He had to be silent. **Silent if he wanted to catch his prey. Silent and still until the last moment if he truly wanted to succeed. Silent and still…

"SESSHY!"

And not the boar was gone. Sesshomaru had barely a second to give a frustrating growl before the young woman pounced on him. ~Damn your sister, Takara.~

"Did you miss me?"

"No," Sesshomaru growled, trying to pry the girl's death grip off of him but it didn't work.

"Don't lie, Sesshy,"

Sesshomaru felt his anger rising but took a breath and just dealt with the strange half-breed. He couldn't just kill her like he could the others. She was Takara's sister, after all.

With long, beautiful silver hair and goldish amber eyes, he held a blue crescent moon on his forehead, two magenta stripes on each cheek, sides of his wrists, and one on each eyelid. His kimono was mostly white with magenta flowers on his collar and sleeves. He was wearing a pair of sashinuki hakama which were gather at the ankles providing a 'ballooning' effect as his shoes were flat, ankle-high boots; there was a sash of fur on his right shoulder.

"Can you take us to Takara, please?"

The male voice made Sesshomaru glance down at the large Spider demon on the young girl's back. He would be lying if he said he wasn't surprised to see the large spider still there but he knew that friendships were made in the strongest ways. Take his cousin Kiyoma for example. She made jewels and other weird things with an oyster demon for a living.

"She's your sister. Can you not find her yourself?"

"I could, but I like to see you too, Sesshy." Miyuki smiled. "And no matter what you say, I know you like to see me too."

Again, Sesshomaru would be lying if he denied it. Of Takara's 3 siblings, Miyuki was his, he wouldn't say favorite but he was pleased when it was just her that came for a visit.

"Sesshomaru…" Miyuki's voice had grown firm and there was a frown on her face. "Is that…Takara's…"

He was confused for a moment but it wasn't hard to figure out that she was talking about. He lifted a hand and touched it. It was a pendant hanging around his neck; a crystal carved in the shape of a crescent moon.

"Ask your sister." He didn't feel like explaining everything to his lover's sister.

"I don't need to." Miyuki's smile had returned. "I know you'll take care of her heart, Sesshy. No one else but you can."

At her words, Sesshomaru felt pride swell within him. He turned and began to walk away. "The camp's this way."

"What was that?" Naraku asked her. "It held a strange…power?"

"I suppose…suppose you could call it a power." Miyuki replied. "I'll explain everything later."

Getting the thought that it was important, Naraku nodded and went silent. He knew that there was something abnormal about the family that played music every full moon, but he just never asked. He had decided that he would wait until Miyuki was ready to explain everything to him.

"Back again, Miyuki?" Takara's voice made Miyuki smile and she skipped through the field to hug her sister.

"I miss you, Takara." She told her. "You should came visit us more often."

The woman chuckled and turned her eyes on the spider. "It's nice to see you again too, Naraku. You've been keeping an eye on my sister, haven't you?"

"Of course," Naraku smiled. He liked Takara. She, of Miyuki's three siblings, was the only one that treated him like he was normal.

Takara's hair was long and black, reaching nearly her waist, her eyes a catlike silver as she wore black and white armor, much like what you would see on a group of Demon Hunters, with a long, matching, left open Kimono draped around her shoulders.

"What are you here for, Miyuki?" Her sister asked.

"I just wanted to see you, that's all."

"Yeah, well, she shouldn't either! She's the reason you left! You won't come back because of her!"

"Miyuki-"

"And don't defend her, either! We all know know it; even her," She turned away. "I don't like her. I don't want her to be my sister."

"Miyuki," Takara sighed. She glancced at the two demons she had been talking to and they left; Sesshomaru had already disappeared. "You can say that all you want, but you won't be able to change it. Emiko is your sister, your twin, and though you may not get along always, you will still care for her until your days in this world are over; and even in the afterlife. Just as I do."

Miyuki gave a frown and crossed her arms as she took a seat on the ground; Takara followed her. "Well, I won't let her run Naraku off like she had you, Takara. He's my friend, so he stays."

"Of course he does," The elder sister smiled. "You know, winter is on it's way; barely even a month. You should all get off the mountain. Mt. Ho-oh is horrible during the winter."

"Yes, Ikkaku had made a comment about that the other day. He said that he had found a village in the Musashi Province. He said it would be smart to stay close to a village during the winter.

Takara noticed that her sister's frown had grown deeper. "Don't worry. The humans can't do anything to you now."

The last timme that Miyuki had a run-in with humans resulted in them trying to kill her for being a demon. Takara had taken care of that, though.

Miyuki had hated being a half-breed at first, despised that she had been cursed to this ill fate, but over the years she had come to accept her blood. Let the full demons and the full humans mock her and try to hhurt her. She would knock them down everytime and prove that she was just as good as they were.

"The Musashi Province, hmm?" Takara looked thoughtful for a moment before giving a smile at the spider. "This is like a different world to you, isn't it, Naraku?"

"Indeed," He nodded from Miyuki's shoulder. "All I've ever seen is the inside of the caves at the Birds of Paradise's layer. I owe Miyuki so much for bringing me with her."

Miyuki felt a blush rising to her cheeks. "No you don't, Naraku. You don't know me anything. I'm the one who owes you. I would have gone crazy in there if you hadn't of shown yourself to me."

"It doesn't matter who owes who," Takara told them with a smile. "You are now together and there fore must now take care of eachother."

"You make it sound like we're married," Miyuki grumbled.

"Take it as you like," The elder sister shrugged. "It changes nothing. What's done is done."

The trio sat there and talked thought the rest of the day. Miyuki always felt better after talking to her older sister, despite what had happened during the ceremony. She didn't blame here sister for that anyway; she blamed Kyorimaru. She knew that is wasn't Takara's fault. Now, if only she could convince Emiko to see that too.

"You should hurry back to the others, Miyuki," Takara said as nightfall neared. "I would offer to let you stay but I'm afraid Inutaisho has an important mission for me and his son in the morning."

"Really?" She asked eagerly. "Like what?"

"We're going to Demon Slayer Village."

"Demon Slayer Village..." Miyuki's grin turned into a frown. She remembered the story Ikkaku had told her of their last visit to that village. "But why?"

"I'm not sure, but I'll tell you eeverything at the next Ceremony, ok?"

"Promise?"

Takara chuckled. "Promise."

Giving a stretch as she stood, Miyuki gave a yawn. "Just be careful. If I hear that you get hurt, I'll make Sesshy regret it, understand?"

Takara gave another chuckled and pulled her sister into a hug. "I understand."

**A little short, yeah, but I needed it lol**

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think:)**


	4. Chapter 3

**I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!**

_**Chapter Three**_

_**Secrets of the Moon**_

"**How much further, Ikkaku? **I'm tired of walking."

"Hush, Emiko. It's not much further. Stop being a baby."

"Why can't we just fly there?" Emiko continued. "We'd be there so much faster."

"Because the villagers are humans, little one," Ikkaku answered her. "They will be frightened if they knew we were demons."

"Stop calling me that," Emiko crossed her arms. "I'm nearly 30, Ikkaku."

"Yes, and I'm over 500. That still makes you the little one." He grinned at his other sister. "Both of you."

Miyuki laughed at her brother as her twin gave a huff.

"Over 500?" Naraku sounded shocked. "Truly?"

"Indeed," Ikkaku nodded. "When we reach the village, Naraku, I'm afraid that you're going to have to hide and not talk. I won't ask you to leave, just don't get caught."

"Of course, but still…" The spider was clearly ready for answers.

"Has Miyuki not told you everything yet?" Ikkaku asked him.

"No, but then again I never really asked," Naraku scurried from the young woman's shoulder to the other. "Are you really that old? That mean's your strong beyond belief. Stronger than Inutaisho!"

"Ha!" Ikkaku laughed. "That mutt is nowhere near my sister's strength, let alone mine. He is a child when it comes to battle; especially his son."

Miyuki gave an evil grin. "You only say that because you don't like that he loves big sister."

Ikkaku gave an unhappy look. "Don't remind me. Takara could do much better."

"I think they're perfect together." Miyuki grinned. "Now we just have to find you a girl, Ikkaku."

The older demon froze for a moment. "I had one, once. Or at least, I would like to believe that I had, but after her death I haven't desired for a woman so therefore I left it behind. I have no wanting for love."

"Aww, you only say that because you haven't found the right one," Miyuki teased her brother. "Then again, their just might not be a woman that's able to deal with you alive yet."

Ikkaku shot her a look. "Double that for you. You'll drive any man insane in days."

Miyuki stuck her tongue out at him as Emiko sighed. "You're both dorks."

"Yeah, but you love us." Ikkaku ruffled her hair.

"I guess."

"Can I ask," Naraku's voice peeked up again. "About the Ceremony you all perform?"

"You can," Ikkaku nodded. "But you wouldn't understand it without hearing everything from the beginning."

"Should you really tell it something like that, Ikkaku?" Emiko glanced at the spider on her sister's shoulder.

"Shut up, Emiko!" Miyuki hissed at her. "His name is Naraku! He's a demon, just like us!"

"No he's not," Ikkaku replied. Naraku felt as if he had been struck a blow. "None of the demons here on Earth are like us; not anymore." The blow left. This was it. He was about to get answers to his questions.

"Our father was named Kazuhiko, our mother Tsukiko, were known as the most powerful Shape-shifters of the land. They were proud demons, doing all that they could to keep peace in the land. Until Kyorimaru decided to change that. No one knew where he had come from, or what kind of demon he was, all they knew was that he wished to destroy the world and rule over everything. Our parents got together with sorcerers and came up with a way to lock Kyorimaru away. Unfortunately, the duo had to sacrifice themselves and their family. I was young, almost Miyuki's age, when my parents locked Kyorimaru in the moon. Together, they and the sorcerers created four instruments that would be the key of the monster's cell."

"The ones you play," Naraku commented in awe.

Ikkaku smiled and nodded. "Yes. The Sanshin, the Taiko, the Harp, and the flute. My family has lived for the last 500 years, keeping the Creature of the Moon locked away. It is on the nights of the Full Moon that Kyorimaru's powers are the strongest and so that is why we perform the Ceremony of Purity. We are the only things standing between the destruction of the world."

"Can we please stop talking about this?" Emiko growled. "I have to deal with it every month so let's just keep it on the one night, will you?"

"All right," Ikkaku moved up next to her. "Instead, let's talk about our cover story for the winter stay in the human village."

Miyuki slowed her pace until Ikkaku and Emiko were out of hearing range. "I'm sorry about my sister."

"I take it that your sister doesn't like the Ceremony too much." The spider commented.

"That's one way of putting it…" Miyuki sighed. "About 100 years ago, Ikkaku and Takara came to Earth and met a Priestess named Midoriko. It was where the Shikon Jewel was created; and where the downfall of humanity began." Naraku stayed silent, just listening. "One day, Kazuhiko and Tsukiko decided it was time for them to return to earth permanently. Unfortunately, staying too close to Kyorimaru's power changed them; it gave them the ability to transform into animals like we can now and with that, not only did the humans fear and despise them, but so did the other demons. After all they had done for them; and what is still being done after all this time." She took a deep breath. "27 years ago, when they had returned, Tsukiko met a man, a prince, a descendent of the Priestess Midoriko, and began a relationship with him. She…that's where my sister and I come from. I have heard the story only once from my sister, but I hate my mother more than ever. As half-breeds, Emiko and I still hold the heartless bodies that can transform, though only we have a select few forms while our brother and sister can choose as many as they want. When Kazuhiko…when he realized what his wife had given birth too, his anger grew and Kyorimaru took ahold of him, using him to attack and begin his longing for destruction. Tsukiko tried to protect us, and in the events, lost herself in anger and hate as well. Ikkaku and Takara arrived in time to save us. Ikkaku grabbed me and my sister, leaving Takara to lay waste to what was left of her parents."

"She…killed them?" Naraku whispered.

Miyuki felt her tears coming but she held them back as much as she could. "What else could she do? She knew she stood no chance against them, with Kyorimaru's power running through them. Instead, she had to destroy their hearts."

"Their hearts?" Naraku repeated. "Early you said that you had…heartless bodies; you and your sister."

"Over the years, I told you that the Shape-shifters changed while on the moon. I don't know why, but it happened. When Takara was born, Emiko and myself included, our hearts weren't in our bodies. It was instead in our hands."

Naraku blinked, remembering what had happened the day before.

"_Sesshomaru…" Miyuki's voice had grown firm and there was a frown on her face. "Is that…Takara's…"_

_He was confused for a moment but it wasn't hard to figure out that she was talking about. He lifted a hand and touched it. It was a pendant hanging around his neck; a crystal carved in the shape of a crescent moon._

"_Ask your sister." He didn't feel like explaining everything to his lover's sister. _

"_I don't need to." Miyuki's smile had returned. "I know you'll take care of her heart, Sesshy. No one else but you can."_

"The moon that Sesshomaru wore around his neck; that's Takara's heart?"

"Yes," Miyuki nodded. "Over the years, Ikkaku's own heart was forced from his body into a pendent as well, as was Kazuhiko's and Tsukiko's. From what I hear, it was a very painful ordeal. Ikkaku calls it a way of Kyorimaru trying to break them. Kazuhiko always wore Tsukiko's pendant, but when she had met the Prince, Takara was gravely wounded in the three-way battle as she tried to convince herself that she was doing the right thing. The more anger and hatred you hold, the more control the creature has on you. The hate that Kazuhiko felt for his wife for falling in love and having children with another man made him the first to lose control and then Tsukiko let her hate take control after her husband had killed her lover. Kazuhiko and Tsukiko wore each other's hearts. Takara sacrificed her body to take ahold of them and destroyed them; freeing them from the creatures control but at the same time, killing them. She would have died herself if her pendent had been harmed. Us Shape-shifters can still be harmed, but it would talk a lot of pain to destroy the pendant without actual contact."

Naraku was silent for a moment. "You sister is very strong to hold that all in."

"Yes, but she didn't when we were younger. Takara hated both of us, but I never blamed her. I love her. She's my best friend. She taught me everything I know. She's my mother, not Tsukiko, no matter what history says. She raised me." Miyuki gave a silent sigh. "I miss her."

"Why is it that she left?"

Miyuki took a breath. "Two years ago, almost, we were going to the Ceremony. For some reason, Kyorimaru grabbed ahold of Takara. Her hatred against the death of her parents is still inside of her, it most likely always will be, made the creature control strong and she attacked us. Ikkaku was able to stop her before something seriously bad happened, but Emiko never forgave her for it. She drove her away. In the end, that was the reason why she met Sesshomaru, and I am happy for that, but I do not regret saying that I share a deeper bond with Takara than I do my own twin." She then gave a sigh. "I am envious of Takara though."

"Envious?" The spider repeated. "Why?"

"Because she has someone." The woman told him. "She has someone that she can trust with her life. She has someone that she loves more than life itself, and it's proven by her trusting him with her heart; literally. I hope, that one day, I can trust someone like that."

Naraku stayed silent, not sure what to say next. "Can I see it?"

Miyuki raised a brow. "See it?"

"Your heart." He told her. "I promise I won't try to do anything to it, I just…"

Miyuki gave a chuckle. "Emiko entrusted hers to Ikkaku to protect but I like keeping mine close." Naraku watched as she reached down the front of her shirt and pulled out a chain.

His eyes grew wide at the size. "It's huge!"

"Yeah, and Ikkaku gladly teased me about it. Takara says it's this size because I have a big heart: physically and mentally. It turned into a joke against Ikkaku because his is the smallest." Miyuki chuckled. The heart had taken the form of a crystal flower. He couldn't tell what kind of flower it was but it was beautiful' and huge.

"It's dangerous to wear it like this," He told her. "What if you get into a serious fight?"

"That won't happen." Miyuki told him. "Not with Ikkaku around. He won't let anything happen."

"But you don't plan on staying around Ikkaku forever, do you?"

"No, I don't," She sighed, "But maybe, by then, I'll find someone I can trust with my heart; just like Takara did."

And as the days went on, Naraku found himself wishing that he could find a way to be that one person…

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think:)**


	5. Chapter 4

I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!

_**Chapter Four**_

_**Humans are weird**_

"**Ikkaku, will you stop hiding and show yourself? **I am getting tired of playing your games!"

"But his games are fun!"

"Only to you, Miyuki," Emiko huffed at her sister. "His games are starting to annoy me."

"Oh, you just like to ruin fun, sister," Miyuki teased. "You should smile more. The villagers might like you then."

"Why would I need them to like me?" Emiko crossed her arms an upturned her nose.

Miyuki gave a sigh and came to a pause. The twins had come to stand beneath a tree. The Villagers called it the Tree of Ages, one of several here in Japan, apparently. Miyuki thought that was a dumb name, but kept her arguments to herself. She had promised her brother that she wouldn't cause problems while they were here in the human village.

It had been over a month since winter had hit and both sisters found themselves shocked that the human villagers didn't have a problem with them staying there. There was a hut they used as a storage building. They had emptied it out and happily let them use it for the winter. Ikkaku even admitted he was surprised they were given help, even placed in the center of the village.

"You don't think it's a trap, do you?" Miyuki began. "That these humans plan on attacking us one night?"

Emiko frowned. "No, I don't believe that they're planning anything like that. Perhaps they're just too trusting."

"They're lucky," Her sister chuckled. "We don't plan on doing anything to them. They'll be in trouble if they let bandits or other demons play them."

"You know, the two of you are really, really loud."

Miyuki gave a smile at the sound of their brother's voice and looked up into the branches of the Sacred Tree. "Yeah, and you're lazy."

"This I cannot deny," Ikkaku sighed. Rolling out of the tree, he landed on his feet before his sisters on the roots. "I have news of-"

"Before anything," Emiko held up a hand. "You need to tell your little friend to stop banging on our doors when she comes searching for you. She pesters me when you're not around."

"Ugh." Ikkaku slapped a hand to his face as his other sister giggled.

Emiko was talking about a little girl named Kikyo. Daughter of the head of the village they were staying at, this little girl had taken a liking to the three of them; Ikkaku especially. Miyuki found it to be hilarious and happily reminded her brother of the little bet they had made a few years ago.

"_Totosai?" Miyuki repeated the name. "Why does that sound familiar?"_

"_You? Familiar?" Ikkaku gave a laugh. "You're just making things up. You've never heard of the man."_

"_No, I'm telling you, I have! When I was searching for Takara last time. Totosai's an old guy that rides on a flying cow/ox thing."_

"_Oh really," Emiko stared at her sister, clearly not believing her._

"_Yes! And he was friends with some flea demon. What's his name? Myoga? Yoga? Moga? Something like that."_

"_Sure he is," Ikkaku snorted at the younger sister. "Next thing you know we're gonna be friends with a little child that's gonna follow me everywhere."_

"_What does that have to do with anything?" Emiko asked him._

"_That's the point!" Ikkaku assured them with a growl as Miyuki frowned and Takara laughed at them._

Miyuki happily reminded her brother about that event and, though he wanted to deny it, he learned that his younger sister had been right; especially with a little kid that tried to follow him around everywhere.

"I've told her hundreds of times to just leave me alone. It's only been a month since we arrived and she's already driving me insane."

"It's what women do, right?" A voice chuckled from the tree.

"Indeed." Ikkaku gave a laugh.

Miyuki gave a smile. "Naraku! So this is where you've been."

The spider turned to face the young woman. "Yes." It was hard for the people to see him during the night but during the day he had to hide. The moment that Miyuki was out of range of people from the village, though, he was upon her, telling her that the spider was never that far from her side. "Did you sleep well?"

"Of course," Miyuki nodded.

"Like a baby." Ikkaku grinned.

Emiko's answer was a snort as she turned to leave the three of them there. "Tell you brat to stop banging on our door, Ikkaku."

Miyuki sighed as her sister walked away. "I'm sorry, Naraku."

"I'm used to it." Emiko hated the spider still. They didn't know why and they could never get a true answer from her.

"Oh, she just needs a boyfriend," Ikkaku commented. "But where we'll find one that can put up with that I don't know."

"Oh, Ikkaku," She gave her brother a playful whack before changing the subject. "Earlier you said that you have new of something. What is it?"

Ikkaku's playful manner changed into a serious one. Miyuki knew that this wasn't going to be good. "It's about Takara."

Worry spread through her like fire. "Is she okay?"

"It's nothing serious, is it?" Naraku asked.

"Takara is okay, so don't worry." Ikkaku told them. "Unfortunately, that's the only good news that I have." Miyuki gulped, fearing what her brother had to tell her. "The mission that Takara went on was to battle a demon named Ryukotsusei. Inutaisho was badly injured."

"Was Takara?"

"No, but Inutaisho's wounds were…untreatable."

"You mean…he didn't make it?" Naraku asked

"Inutaisho died not long after the great fight. He went straight to another battle to save his wife and son."

"Oh no!" Miyuki's fear got worse. "Not Sesshy! Please tell me he's okay!" If something happened to Sesshomaru then there was a chance that Takara was hurt; in more ways than one.

"No, not Sesshomaru," Ikkaku's voice held a growl in it, telling the two of them that he wasn't very pleased with the other demon. "Sesshomaru turned like a coward and fled, leaving Takara and his father on their own." Miyuki blinked. That didn't sound like Sesshomaru at all. This was the man that followed Takara and Ikkaku to the mountain to help save her and Emiko, was it not? "Inutaisho had apparently taken on another woman…a human woman. His new son is a half-breed."

Miyuki glanced away. "Another one, hmm?"

Ikkaku continued. "Inutaisho died, but the woman and her son did not. They were left with nothing, left to be outcasts because of what happened." Ikkaku gave a sigh. "Takara is taking care of them now."

Miyuki felt a little bit of relief hit her. If Takara was taking care of the mother and child then they would be okay. But still…for Inutaisho to be dead…she had liked Sesshomaru's father. He had come multiple times to their monthly ceremonies over the years that he had known Takara. ~It has been years, hasn't it?~

And Sesshomaru. Miyuki didn't want to believe that he just left Takara behind and let his father die. What was he thinking?

"I want to see her." Miyuki told her brother. "Do you know where she's at?"

Ikkaku shook his head. He turned and began to walk away. Miyuki waited for Naraku to crawl up on her shoulder before following him. "No, but I know that she's okay. And the woman and child will be as well. There's nothing to fear. We have to ceremony next week so you can see her then."

"Then I want to find Sesshomaru. I want to ask-"

"No!" Ikkaku's voice was harsh, completely throwing any thought of that away. "You will not go near that creature again."

"But…but why?"

"Let the coward leave," Ikkaku told her. "If he wants to run and hide like that, then why stop him? He doesn't deserve her."

Miyuki went silent, worry spreading through her. Sesshomaru had Takara's pendant. What if…

"She'll be fine." It seemed that Naraku knew what she was fearing. His words made her feel better as they continued to follow Ikkaku through the trees. Besides, Sesshomaru wouldn't let anything bad happen to Takara, would he? Nah, Naraku's words were right. Her sister would be fine. She always was.

"I always knew that mutt would end up being a problem. How Takara fell for that I'll never know."

"You don't choose who you love, Ikkaku," Miyuki hissed. "Even I know that."

Ikkaku gave a sigh as he came to a stop. "No we don't, do we?"

There was a second meaning behind her brother's words that made her know that he was caught in a memory. She was interested, yes, but she kept her questions to herself. Instead she turned her attention to where they had stopped. It was in the forest, just on the outskirts of the village. There was an old looking well. It looked normal but Miyuki could tell that there was nothing normal about it. There was some kind of power radiating off of the well, a dark power that made her stomach twist. She didn't like it and she didn't like being so close to it; Naraku, either.

"They call it the Bone-Eater's Well." Ikkaku's voice made Miyuki jump and she glanced at her brother. He was staring hard at the well.

"The Bone-Eater's Well?" She repeated. "Why call it that?"

"Because this is where the villagers will toss the bodies of the demons and other monsters they will kill."

That explained why it held such a nasty feeling to it. "How do you know all this, Ikkaku? Did one of the villagers tell you?"

"I was here when it was made."

Naraku blinked. "Truly?"

"Really, Ikkaku?" Miyuki knew her brother well enough to know that he wouldn't joke around about something like this. "It's that old?

"Yes…I remember this place," Ikkaku began. He walked around the well. "I was here only once before the moon. This village was having horrid luck with demons and our parents chose to help them. Mother would jokingly call it our 'Last Help on Earth'."

At the mention of their mother, Miyuki hung her head. The tone of Ikkaku's voice this time clearly stated that he missed his parents. He would never admit it aloud that he blamed the twins, but Miyuki felt that, somewhere deep inside, he had to. She blamed her and her sister herself. She knew that Takara, even though she loved her and her sister, there was still an orb of hate that she could see on certain occasions. But Takara still loved her. Both she and Ikkaku raised them after the horrid event with their parents. They could have just left them to die, but they hadn't. They had kept them and raised them and they were still with them today. That is what surprised Miyuki the most.

"It was actually here that we found the Priest that locked the creature in the moon and helped send us there. He was a strange Priest, no doubt about that, but he was a great help. He had to have been you ancestor, right old man?"

Ikkaku had turned his head to stare behind them. Miyuki gave a jump when an elder man stepped out of the trees towards the village. It was the head of the village; Kikyo's grandfather.

"I knew it." He commented. "I knew that there was something strange about you.

Miyuki pulled a face. Ikkaku had told them not to let their secrets out to the villagers. Why would he openly talk about it if he knew the human was there?

"And what do you intend on doing about it?" Ikkaku asked, turning to face the man.

"Absolutely nothing. The story of the Moon Travelers have passed through my family for generations. It was believed to be just that, a story, but for it to be known by you, and for the creation of the Bone Eater's Well…that and there is a scroll…The Priest drew a picture of the three demons…from his memories, I suppose. I…I knew you were one of them the moment I saw you. You look a lot like your father…I knew that you meant us no harm." He then shot a smile at Miyuki. "You or your little friend." Naraku scurried up her shoulder and hid on her back. The elder gave a laugh.

"Wolves for Takara and humans for me, eh?" Ikkaku's comment was low, making Miyuki understand that it was just for himself.

The elder continued to wear a large smile upon his face. "I assure you that your secret is safe with me! I do not foresee you causing any problems in my village; and little Kikyo has become so fond of you. I know that you plan on leaving after the winter, but I ask you…think about staying. You will won't you?

Miyuki felt her mouth drop open at his words. Did he really just ask them that? She leaned towards her brother with a hushed voice. "Humans are weird."

Ikkaku shook his head, a laugh mixed with a sigh leaving his mouth. "You're telling me."

**Please Review! I like to know what you all think:)**


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